Protesters burn Donald Trump effigy in the Philippines

Protesters have burned a 13-foot effigy of Donald Trump at a demonstration in Manila as world leaders meet for the 31st Asean Summit.

Demonstrators burned American flags and a swastika-shaped effigy of Mr Trump who was in Manila for an Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) conference.

Protest organisers said the effigy was designed to symbolise fascism, war and plunder.

It had four spinning arms, holding a bag of money, a warhead, a pistol and a shovel.
The demonstrators shouted anti-US slogans demanding US forces leave the Philippines and calling on Washington to “stop imposing imperialist economic policies on the country”.

The sight of the spinning four-armed construction – holding a bag of cash, a handgun, a nuclear bomb and a bulldozer’s scoop – contrasted with the “red carpet” welcome Mr Trump said he had received from governments throughout Asia.

The billionaire is now in the closing stages of a tour of the region designed to push his agenda on trade that is “fair” to the US, and to shore up opposition to North Korea‘s threatening behaviour.

The United States and the Philippines, a former US colony, have been strategic allies since World War Two but their relations have been strained by anti-US outbursts from Mr Duterte and his enthusiasm for better ties with Russia and China.